Tubular lamp socket



Nov. 4, 1941. J'. F. cAvANAc-:H 2,251,900

TUBULAR LAMP socKE-'r Filed June 27 i 1941 INVENTOR @fava/1a' B v ATroRNEYs u ?atented Nov. 4, 1941 2,261,900 'rUBULAn LAMP sooner John F.

Cavanagh, Providencc, B.. I., assignor to Guy H. Burt, Providence, B.. I;

Application June 27, 1941, Serial N0. 399,996

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a. lamp socket, more particularly to lamp sockets for tubular electric lamps, for example iiuorescent lamps.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a lamp socket into which the lamp may be easily and quickly mounted and which will be maintained in mounted position until manually removed therefrom.

Another object of'the invention is' to provide a socket which is of simple construction and one which may be used at -either end of a tubular lamp, making unnecessary the formation of right andv left hand sockets.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the positioning of the'lamp in the socket by rotation of the lamp about its axis in either direction after it enters the socket.

Another object of the` inventionis to provide a good firm contact between the contact pins of thelamp and the contacts ofthe socket.

With these and other objects in view, the in-v vention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fullyl described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is` an elevation of a lamp mounted in two sockets which are the subject of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one socket;

Fig. 3 is a view -of one-halfof the body part of the socket with the operating members in po-V sition in this half Fig. 4 is a central sectional view on line 6 6 of Fig.3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating the position assumed @by theplunger as the contact pins of the lamp are moved into the socket;

Fig. 6 is a perspective viewof the plunger used for maintaining the lamp pins'in engagement with the contact members.

In proceeding in accordance with" this invention, I form the basegnf the socket in duplicate halveswhich are so ,'shaped that they may be molded and, when placed together, will provide suitable channels for the reception and guiding of the parts of the-socket. 'The socket has an members; and in order to' hold the pins in engagement with the fingers, I provide a plunger or presser member for urging the pins in the appropriate direction, which plunger is depressible ber extend inwardly toward each other to overy end entrance for the pinsvof the lamp which are received in a slot to be then rotated in either direction byreason ofthe .uniform under-cutting 'of the walls of the sloteon either side of the enthe lafnp move in entering the' slot sol that when turned'and moved outwardly the pins -of the lamp will engage these iingersfof the contact as the contact pins enter the socket. The curvature of the contact pins and the socket contact members is such as to cause the lamp to maintain a suitable position of rotation.

With .reference to the drawing, i@ designates the tubular lamp such, for example, as a fluorescent lamp, which is provided at each end with contact pins'll' and l2. The base of this socket, designated generally, I4, is formed of duplicate symmetrical halves l5, l5,v each of which is molded of suitable insulating material and provided with channels l5 and Il for the receptionof the working parts of the socket. At `the ends of the base a slot I8 is provided which extends inwardly to meet these channels and which hopens to the edge I9 of each of the base sections. This slot extends inwardly at substantially right angles to this end edge i9 and is undercut or recessed as at 20 so as to provide portions 2i overhanging this recess. When the two sections l, l5 of the base are in assembled position, this slot extends from an outer face 22 on one side to the outer face 22 on the other side of the base.

The two contact members 23 are of duplicate construction and are positioned in the channel i6 to extend substantially lengthwise of the base, extending into the recess provided by the enlarged slot where nger portions 24 of each memhang the recess. These contacts members are provided. with binding posts 25, accessible from the'end. of the base opposite the end provided with a slot, suchas 'shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and to which suitable conducting wires may be at tached.

In the recess l1 a plunger 26 is located which is cut out as at'l2'l to receive a spring 28 which urges the plunger outwardly into a position to engage the lingers 24. The other end of this spring engages Ysome suitable abutment 29, formling' a part of each base section I5. This plunger is guided by the walls of the channel I'I parallel to each face 22 and also guided by the contact members 23 which extend at right angles to these Walls. 1

In use, the Hl with its contact pins I l and i2 at an end will be inserted by movement of one of these pins, such as l I, inwardly through the slot i8, forcing the plunger 26 inwardly against action of V a springv 28. After this pin has-been inserted'to an extent so that the pin will engage the bottom 30 of this slot, the lamp is drotated about its central axis'in either direction but which we may assume here will be counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 5. This causes the contact pin Il to move to the left and the contact pin I2 to move to the right, and upon rotation through 90 degrees, these pins will both engage the end of the plunger to provide a stop and be positioned at right angles to the axis of the slot I8, or at right angles to the position in which they were when inserted into the socket. In this right-angular position; the spacing of the contact pins causes them to engage and slightly spread the contact members 2'3. The plunger, being relieved of pressure in the position shown in Fig. 5, will follow the contact pins as they are turned to this right angular position so that these pins are beneath the iingers 24. the lingers being curved substantially to form a good lit with the pins in the position shown in Fig. 3. The plunger thus holds the lamp in a position from which it cannot be withdrawn from the socket without initial rotation and with the contact pins of the lamp in iirm engagement with the contacts of the socket.

To remove the socket, it is merely necessary to turn the lamp so that the pins can pass through `the slot I8 and the spring and plunger will assist in the ejection thereof. It will be apparent that all'oi the parts except the spring and the contact members will be formed of insulating material.

I claim:

1. A socket for use with a lamp having a pair oi spaced contact pins, comprising a` base of insulating material with a slot in a face extending to an edge thereof and of a width toreceive either of the contact pins and of a depth to receive both of said contact pins, the opposite walls oi' said slot being provided with undercut recesses, contact members mounted in said -recesses and provided with inwardly turned iingers at their ends extending toward said slot to engage said pins when the lamp is rotated 2. A socket for use with a lamp having a pair of spaced contact pins comprising a base of insulating material with a slot in a face extending to an edge thereof and of a width to receive either of the contact pins and of a depth to receive both of said contact pins when inserted in a line coinciding with the axis of thev slot, the opposite walls of said slot being provided with undercut recessesv to an extent to accommodate the said pins after inserted in the slot and rotated through 90 degrees, contact members mounted in said recesses and provided with inwardly turned lingers at their ends extending toward said slot to engage said pins when the lamp is rotated from its position of insertion into said slot, and a spring-pressed plunger of insulating material in said slot for urging the pins into engagement with the linger portions of the said contact members and deprssible by insertion of said pins into the socket.

3. A socket ifor use with a lamp having a pair of spaced contact pins comprising a base of insulating material with a slot in a face extending to an edge thereof and of a width to receive either of the contact pins and of a depth to receive both of said contact pins when inserted 'in a line coinciding with the axis of the slot, the opposite walls of said slot being provided with undercut recesses to an extent to accommodate the said pins after inserted in the slot and rotated through 90 degrees, said base being formed ot duplicate halves with each halfprovided with contact and plunger channels ex tending to said slot and together forming locating guides for the contact members, contact members in said channels extending to said recess and provided with inwardly turned fingers at their ends extending toward each other, a plunger of insulating material located in one of said channels and guided by the walls thereof and by said contact members and slidable axially of from its position of insertion into said slot, and .4.5

a spring-pressed plunger in said slot for urging the pins into engagement tions of said contact members.

with the finger porsaid slot, and a spring urging .said plunger toward said ngers to force the pins into engagef ment therewith. l

vJOHN F. CAVANAGvI-I. 

